Wholehearted

Colossians 3: 22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Ch 4, .....

9He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you ( slave)

More thoughts on wholehearted devotion to God. I have been thinking about the God of all of life as opposed to the somewhat limited God of church programme and culture.

I remember Billy Graham writing not too long ago that he considered the next big evangelistic move of God to be in the workplace. It rings true. People who don't follow Jesus usually don't go to church but most of them go to work. How then can we transform the secular, even profane into a sacred space? Wherever God is, is sacred and holy. How do we invite his presence into these otherwise mundane and ordinary situations like a law firm?

In a conversation with my friend Tom Hope earlier this week it all suddenly fitted together. We need to be wholehearted in everything we do. More often than not I am most aware of God when I am waiting for him and looking for him in everything I do. This might be why we experience God in church but not work - simply because we switch off at other times. Tom was telling me about his recent trip to Syria and Lebanon and a couple of divine encounters which surfacd out of seemingly nowhere. One involved a man offering to help him climb up some rocks. It resulted in the sharing of his lifestory and prayer. It was not 'ministry' but simply Tom being wholehearted in his walk along the promenade. What a challenge to us.

I love what Paul says in opening the door as wide as it will go. 'whatever you do, ....(badminton, sewing, suing, designing, cleaning, loving, cooking, gardening, walking, washing, preaching, prophesying, singing, listening), do it with all your heart for Jesus.

This passage is set in a context of winning the respect of outsiders. Perhaps outsiders will be won over when they see a passionate life, a passionate father, husband and employee. What if everything we did was wholehearted? What if there was nothing bland in our lives because we considered every little act to be worship and devotion for which God would reward us. Sometimes, just sometimes christians have been labelled boring. Is God boring?

As you know I have become well aquainted with Mr Onesimus. He was trapped before and would be trapped again. He was defined as nothing in his world system, (a slave, lowly employee equivalent), but God defined him in love. Its not what you do, its who you do it for. I love this passage and this is what I am building up to, the crescendo. This teaching which we have all heard so many times is written by Paul and he knows what he is talking about. I just imagine him writing the letter at his desk with his mission companions around him, praying, talking, fixing the tea and one of those companions is......

Onesimus! The very one who God re-defined in love and sent him back to be trapped but to be wholehearted as a slave. I think of the discussions Onesimus would have had with Paul the night before and this letter flows out of the clear close relationship. I imagine Paul thinking at the back of his mind, 'wow, what if all the church followed Onesimus' example'. He has just told them to be wholehearted in whatever they do and then adds (remember), Onesimus is one of you.

Reebok say 'the world is your playground', What if we could say the 'world is God's footstool, sanctuary'. A place of rest for him. The organizations, structures, systems, departments could become sacred space and maybe what Brother Billy said might actually happen.